Project Prepare Blue helps young adults ages 18–24 move toward employment, education and other postsecondary goals.
“What do we want to get?”
“Money!” the graduates shouted back.
“When do we want to get it?”
“Now!”
That call-and-response brought plenty of laughter to the auditorium at Crane Medical Preparatory High School on a recent Friday morning. But underneath it was something more serious: 22 young adults taking another step toward building the futures they envision for themselves.
They were dubbed the “Unique 22.” And after a summer spent learning, working and growing through Youth Guidance’s Project Prepare Blue, they had plenty to celebrate.
Before the graduates entered the auditorium, Theonita Wright, senior coordinator of Alumni Engagement at Youth Guidance, described three principles the program seeks to instill: discipline, creativity and recognizing your own value.
Then the doors opened.
As each graduate walked in, Wright greeted them with a different handshake—each one personalized to the young person standing in front of her. It was a small gesture carrying a larger message: I see you. I know you. You matter.
That sense of belonging is central to Youth Guidance’s Alumni Engagement initiative, which continues supporting young people after high school as they navigate the transition into adulthood. Project Prepare Blue is part of that work, helping young adults ages 18–24 move toward employment, education and other postsecondary goals.
Kendall Smith, 19, delivers motivational graduation speechTheonita Wright greets each graduate with a unique handshake. Click image for video.
“Never ever stop believing in yourself.” — Kendall Smith
Beyond the Résumé
But the support extends beyond preparing a résumé or learning how to navigate the workplace. Participants also had access to free counseling services when they needed additional support to keep moving forward during the program.
The goal is not simply to help young adults get an opportunity. It is to surround them with the resources and relationships that can help them make the most of it.
For Dakota Smith, the impact of that experience unfolded twice this summer.
Her daughter, Kendall Smith, 19, was chosen as the class speaker. Known within the cohort as the “Artist,” Kendall spent her internship at Parent Cooperative for Early Learning. Her mother says the nickname fits: Kendall has drawn and painted since she was a little girl.
Standing at the podium with her mother in the audience, Kendall challenged her fellow graduates to keep moving forward.
“Community is an important ingredient to success,” she told them. “Never ever stop believing in yourself.”
And then: “You are never too old or young to achieve your dreams, so keep dreaming.”
The words seemed almost made for the room. Hanging nearby was a banner declaring Crane a place “where HOPE begins and DREAMS come true.”
Wright (left) and postsecondary success coach Cortasha Thomas (right) present Jaylen Gardner with his completion certificate.
Dakota also watched her son, Kendell Smith, experience something entirely new: his first job.
Kendell spent the summer working at Hamilton Park through the Chicago Park District. His mother noticed the difference almost immediately.
“I didn’t have to wake him up. I didn’t have to do anything,” Dakota recalled. “He got himself to work. If he was going to be late, he contacted his supervisors himself. He took the initiative to do those things on his own.”
For Dakota, that is what makes experiences like Project Prepare Blue so valuable.
Young adults need opportunities to learn “what it’s like to be out in the work field,” she said—to develop professional communication, consistency, responsibility and the ability to build relationships with others.
“How else are you going to know until you have the experience?”
More Than A Name
Throughout the ceremony, Wright and post-secondary success coach Cortasha Thomas called graduates to the stage, where Alumni Engagement senior manager Michele Artunduaga snapped their picture. But rather than simply reading their names and internship placements, they told the audience something about who each young person had shown themselves to be: Thoughtful. Creative. Accountable. A leader. A great listener. Success-driven. Motivated.
The ceremony ended with certificates and gift backpacks, but the morning wasn’t quite over.
Upstairs, the graduates presented posters mapping out their next two years, a combination of vision board and career roadmap. Their plans mixed ambition with practicality: Save money. Stay fit. Find a better job. Buy a car. Keep building toward something bigger.
It was a fitting conclusion for a program designed not simply to help young adults find work, but to ensure that Youth Guidance alumni continue to have people in their corner as they take their next steps—whether that means coaching, professional development, connections to opportunity or simply someone to turn to when the path gets difficult.
Before sending the Unique 22 forward, Wright left them with one more reminder, one she had reinforced throughout their time together: “You belong in every room you enter.”
On that Friday morning, a fresh cohort of Project Prepare Blue graduates walked across a stage.
Now comes the bigger journey: walking confidently into all the rooms that come next.
Late Night Recreation brought together youth, mentors, families, and community partners for an evening that demonstrated the power of relationships and belonging.
The sound of a bouncing basketball echoed through the gym. Sneakers squeaked across the court as a teenager drove toward the basket, faked past a mentor, and took his shot.
Nearby, younger children practiced jump shots while another group gathered for a friendly volleyball game. Across the hall, youth competed at gaming stations as siblings sat together coloring and talking.
On a Friday night in July, nearly 100 young people filled the West Garfield Park YMCA for Late Night Recreation, a community event hosted in partnership with Youth Guidance, Breakthrough, the YMCA, and local organizations. Basketball, volleyball, gaming, a boxing demonstration, food, and time with trusted adults transformed the space into something more than a recreation center.
It became a place where young people could simply be young people—safe, supported, and surrounded by a community that showed up for them.
Mayor Brandon Johnson joined community leaders, mentors, families, and neighborhood partners throughout the evening, underscoring the importance of creating opportunities where young people can connect, build relationships, and thrive.
For 17-year-old Justin, a participant in Youth Guidance’s Becoming A Man (BAM) program, that sense of belonging was immediate:
“It’s great to know everybody is coming here. We’re playing basketball. They’re all playing with us. It shows that they really care about us.”
For many young people, feeling welcome comes from more than the activities themselves. It comes from seeing adults invest their time, participate alongside them, and consistently show up. It comes from knowing there are people who genuinely care.
Parents noticed that difference, too.
“I love the fact that it’s open to the community. We talk about reclaiming our spaces all the time. I love that there are organizers, organizations, and people creating space exactly for our young people.” — Ashley
Throughout the evening, youth connected with friends, met new people, and enjoyed an environment intentionally designed around belonging.
More Than a Summer Event
Late Night Recreation offered more than an evening of fun. It reflected what is possible when organizations unite around a shared commitment to young people.
For Albert Stinson, a Community Outreach Worker with Youth Guidance’s BAM program and a lifelong West Garfield Park resident, that work is deeply personal. As one of the driving forces behind the event, he understands the difference safe, welcoming spaces can make for youth and families:
“It’s necessary. It’s important that our young people see they have resources here, that they have people who care, that they can come into this space and feel safe. It’s imperative that we continue doing this work.”
Mayor Brandon Johnson and Albert Stinson share a moment with a young attendee.
His words reflect a broader truth: creating environments where young people feel connected and supported isn’t seasonal work.
At Youth Guidance, building positive relationships with trusted adults is central to helping young people succeed in school, strengthen their well-being, and thrive in their communities. Summer simply provides another opportunity to deepen those connections.
Across eight states, Youth Guidance continues supporting young people through mentoring, career readiness, after-school programming, and community partnerships. In Chicago, Career Readiness & Success (CRS) and Community & After School Programs (CAP) keep youth engaged through internships, career exploration, enrichment activities, and community-based learning experiences that help them stay connected to caring adults and positive opportunities year-round.
Partnerships That Strengthen Communities
Creating opportunities like Late Night Recreation takes more than one organization. It takes partnership, trust, and a shared belief that every young person deserves to feel seen, supported, and valued.
That’s why Youth Guidance works alongside schools, families, community organizations, and civic leaders to expand access to safe spaces and meaningful opportunities for youth.
That collective commitment was visible throughout the evening as mentors, families, community members, and public leaders gathered alongside young people at the YMCA.
As YMCA Senior Executive Director Andre Goode explained:
“It takes a village. You don’t know what some young person might be going through. To come here and see so many men and women available as mentors—I just hope that as a community, we continue to support each other and come together as one.”
By the end of the evening, one message stood above the rest: young people thrive when they know they are not alone.
When organizations, mentors, families, and neighbors invest in young people together, they create more than a successful event. They strengthen relationships, build trust, and foster the sense of belonging that helps young people reach their full potential.
Showing Up Matters
One Friday night at the YMCA may seem like a small moment.
But for the young people who walked through those doors, it was a powerful reminder that their community is invested in their future.
The games ended. The gym eventually emptied. The lights went out.
What remains are the relationships that were strengthened, the trust that was built, and the message every young person deserves to hear: your community sees you, believes in you, and is showing up for you.
The graduating class of The Fellowship Initiative in Chicago earned $28.5 million in scholarships and financial aid while building an enduring bond of brotherhood.
Beneath the chandeliers of the Paul Robeson Theater on Chicago’s South Side, the future arrived wearing suits, tassels, and nervous smiles.
More than 200 people packed into the historic theater inside the South Shore Cultural Center on the Saturday of Mother’s Day weekend. Families gathered around clothed tables — mothers clutching purses, fathers adjusting ties, younger siblings fidgeting in padded banquet chairs. Outside, Lake Michigan shimmered under the spring sun. Inside, 44 fellows prepared to cross a graduation stage carrying the weight of their ambitions.
Together, the 2026 graduating class of The Fellowship Initiative (TFI) had earned more than 700 college acceptances and $28.5 million in scholarships and financial aid.
One was headed to Harvard University to study neuroscience. Another would attend Washington University in St. Louis on a full ride. Three had earned coveted Posse Scholarships to Oberlin, Dickinson, and Middlebury Colleges. One planned to study fashion design. Another, civil engineering. And another — a young father who crossed the stage carrying his one-year-old son in his arms — planned to study plumbing.
The moment felt bigger than a graduation ceremony. It felt like a collective exhale.
Unlike a traditional school ceremony, this graduation only happens once every three years — marking the culmination of a demanding, multi-year commitment that began when most of the TFI Fellows were sophomores still trying to figure out who they wanted to become.
For many families, the ceremony represented years of sacrifice, long commutes, financial stress, neighborhood violence, illness, loss, and the uncertainty that shadows so many families trying to help their children reach adulthood safely.
Jesus Manzano and Mussa Mrisho show off their TFI certificates.Amir Haleem poses with his mother.
“TFI has opened doors we would have never seen if he had not gotten into this program.” — Eric Gabriel
Every Saturday
For three years, these fellows — most from low-income households and more than half first-generation college students — spent Saturdays each month commuting across Chicago for TFI, a college access and leadership program launched by JPMorganChase and implemented locally by Youth Guidance that supports youth who face systemic barriers to economic opportunity from all backgrounds.
While participants could have chosen to spend their Saturdays sleeping in, working jobs, or hanging out with friends, these fellows boarded buses and “L” trains to spend hours in workshops on leadership, professionalism, public speaking, financial literacy, college access, and networking. Each fellow was paired with a mentor from JPMorganChase.
Luis Morales-Lopez rode the Blue Line from the North Side to downtown meetings at Chase Tower, where the cohort originally gathered before temporarily relocating this year to the Illinois Institute of Technology during renovations. His mother, Ruby Trejo Lopez, often worked weekends and couldn’t always drive him.
“He always made it there,” she said. “I never had to wake him up. I never had to remind him. TFI really showed me how the program motivates these young men toward independence, confidence in their own thinking, and ultimately becoming responsible men.”
Luis, the oldest of her children, will attend Dickinson College in Pennsylvania as a Posse Scholar — farther from home than anyone in the family has ever gone.
Patricia Peña snaps a photo of her son, Gabriel, before the graduation ceremony.
Cultivating Excellence
Above the entrance to the South Shore theater hangs a plaque bearing the name Paul Robeson, the legendary actor, athlete, activist, and singer who lived from 1898 to 1976 — a period spanning several significant civil and social moments in the United States. Robeson spent his life challenging America to imagine a fuller version of democracy, one where Black brilliance was not feared or diminished, but cultivated.
On this Saturday, that vision felt alive inside the theater, where families with roots stretching from the American South to Mexico, Nigeria, India, and across the African and Latin diasporas gathered to celebrate the next generation stepping into its future.
At a time when so many conversations about young men focus on crisis, the ceremony offered a counternarrative rooted in discipline, community, and possibility.
Ayomide “Ayo” Olatunji sat near the front before the ceremony began, waiting for his family to arrive. Soft-spoken and reflective, the EPIC Academy senior said he once imagined attending the University of Chicago. Instead, he’ll head east this fall to Harvard University on a full scholarship, where he plans to study neuroscience.
“I think sophomore year, I was more reserved,” Ayo said before the ceremony. “I was ambitious, but I stayed to myself.”
TFI, he said, changed that.
“It helped me step out and build meaningful relationships,” he said. “That’s been the greatest part.”
“This program has always been about more than college. It’s about…expanding your sense of what’s possible.”
— Kourtney Cockrell
Ayo still talks regularly with his JPMorganChase mentor, Melissa, and with Ju’Juan Day, a TFI program specialist at Youth Guidance whom students affectionately called “Unc.”
“Perseverance is key,” Ayo said, reflecting on what the program taught him. “And networking. That’s very emphasized in TFI.”
Around him, families streamed into the theater.
Gabriel Peña’s mother, Patricia, remembered first hearing about TFI years earlier from a teacher whose own son had completed the program.
“When they start, they’re so young,” she said. “The young men who start the program aren’t the same young men who finish.”
Her son, Gabriel, earned a full-tuition Posse Scholarship to Oberlin College, where he plans to study communications.
“TFI has opened doors we would have never seen if he had not gotten into this program,” said Gabriel’s dad, Eric. “I’m just grateful. I’m thankful. It really does take a village.”
Jovani Gonzalez and his mother outside of the Paul Robeson Theater.Pastor David Williams celebrating with TFI Fellows.
What’s Possible
In his keynote remarks, Pastor David Williams joked about interviewing one student for the 2026 cohort who conducted the entire interview holding a sausage link in his hand.
“You know what kind of confidence you gotta have to interview with a sausage link in your hand?” Williams said, causing the room to erupt in laughter.
But beneath the humor was something deeper.
“You came in baby-faced,” Williams told the graduates. “Now y’all got facial hair. Changed up your style and everything. But we saw the brilliance in you from the beginning.”
The ceremony moved between celebration, testimony, grief, and joy — sometimes within the span of a single speech.
Kourtney Cockrell, Vice President and Regional Director of Global Philanthropy and Corporate Responsibility at JPMorganChase, addressed the students from the stage.
“Each person here represents someone who has poured into you,” Cockrell said, reflecting on the families, mentors, and staff who supported the fellows throughout their journey. A first-generation college graduate herself, she told the students she understood what it meant to carry not only their own dreams, but the hopes of their families as well.
“I’ve seen you grow from young boys into young men,” she said. “This program has always been about more than college. It’s about experience, brotherhood, leadership, and expanding your sense of what’s possible.”
Michelle Morrison, CEO of Youth Guidance, reminded the TFI graduates that success would not always come in a straight line.
“You have already proven that you know how to persevere,” Morrison told them. “You’ve solved problems, overcome setbacks, and leaned on your community for support. Those are the exact skills that will carry you through whatever comes next.”
Will Irvin, Youth Guidance’s Director of Career Readiness & Postsecondary Success.
Tribute to Travon
Then the ceremony shifted to honor Travon Freeman, a 17-year-old EPIC Academy honor roll student and TFI Fellow who was killed in a shooting just a block from his school last fall.
Travon, who had plans to run for student council president, was remembered throughout the ceremony not only as a gifted student, but as a joyful, magnetic presence whose absence left a profound void in the lives of classmates, mentors, and friends.
Will Irvin, Youth Guidance’s Director of Career Readiness & Postsecondary Success, spoke during a tribute to Travon.
“It’s not right that there’s an empty chair here today,” Irvin told the room. “It’s not right that we are missing a friend as his classmates cross this graduation stage.”
Irvin then reflected on losing one of his own close friend, Frankie, to gun violence while he was in college.
“I’ve thought many times about how similar Frankie and Travon were,” he said. “They were both the kind of people who could walk into a room and light it up. And Travon, even at a young age, understood one of life’s greatest joys: being there for other people.”
Travon’s mother, Rosetta Coger, later addressed the audience herself, thanking the TFI families for their empathy and support.
“I read all the sympathy cards. They made me laugh, they made me cry,” she said. “You made me a firm believer in the saying that, “When one mother hurts, we all hurt. When one momma cry, we call cry. I appreciate you all for that.”
The ceremony paid tribute to Travon Freeman, a TFI Fellow.
A Family Affair
But grief never fully overtook the afternoon. The ceremony insisted on hope.
Christopher Lewis spoke about watching his son Ahmir persevere through his mother’s breast cancer diagnosis while growing from a shy teenager into a confident young man willing to “bet on himself” by pursuing music composition instead of computer science.
Another parent, Abby Adasiak, reflected on raising children on Chicago’s South Side, where young people sometimes learn too early to distinguish fireworks from gunshots.
“Society often looks at our Fellows,” she said, “and labels them before they even get a chance.”
Then she turned toward the TFI staff seated nearby — Will Irvin, Ju’Juan Day, Chikamso Odume, Cristian Romero, and Danny Vazquez — the mentors, coaches, and program leaders who had spent the last three years guiding the Fellows.
“Your dedication, commitment, and unconditional support does not go unnoticed,” she told them.
Again and again throughout the afternoon, the ceremony returned to the same idea: no one arrives alone.
As the ceremony closed, each Fellow learned he would receive a laptop for college — a graduation gift for the next chapter ahead. The announcement detonated across the room like fireworks.
Ayomide Olatunji and Gabriel Peña mingle with their TFI brothers.
Lasting Bonds
Afterward, graduates zigzagged across the theater to pose for celebratory photos with friends, mentors, and family members. Others spilled into the afternoon light along the lakefront, gathering beneath flowering trees and near the stone terraces of the cultural center for more photos. Mothers adjusted graduation tassels. Fathers wrapped sons in hugs that lingered a little longer than usual.
Among them was Darius Townsel, the graduate who crossed the stage carrying his one-year-old son, Kayden, as his mother, Katherine, and father, Demetrius, cheered him on.
Darius had been part of Youth Guidance’s Becoming A Man (BAM) program since middle school. He commuted from the West Side using public transportation to attend TFI sessions every Saturday.
“God protects me all the time,” he said of his weekend journeys on Chicago public transit.
Now 18, he plans to study plumbing at Kennedy-King College. He said becoming a father changed everything.
“Every time I see him,” Darius said of his son, “it’s motivation.”
Around him, fellows lingered long after the ceremony ended, taking photos, exchanging hugs and grips, promising to stay in touch.
Three years earlier, many had entered the program as strangers.
They left as brothers.
Johnathon Briggs, a former Chicago Tribune staff writer, is the director of marketing and communications at Youth Guidance.
“I’ve become the version of myself I always dreamed of being. I compliment people more. I express myself freely—through my voice, my style, and how I show up in the world.”
— Kailee Roman
This post is part of Becoming Us, a new storytelling series from Youth Guidance that honors the voices of our alumni. Through their own words, we explore what it means to grow, to heal, and to become.
Kailee Roman, an alumna of Youth Guidance’s Working on Womanhood (WOW) program, came of age during a moment when the world felt disconnected and uncertain. Emerging from the isolation of the pandemic into high school, she struggled with insecurity, social anxiety, and the pressure to meet unrealistic beauty standards—especially as a Latina searching for representation that reflected her worth.
In WOW, Kailee discovered something she hadn’t expected: a space where vulnerability was welcomed, individuality was celebrated, and sisterhood replaced comparison. Today, she reflects on how WOW helped her redefine beauty, build healthier relationships, and grow into the confident version of herself she once only imagined.
Here, in her own words, Kailee shares her journey of becoming.
Who I Was
Before I joined WOW, I was transitioning from being inside all the time during the pandemic to suddenly socializing again in what everyone calls “the most important moment of your life”—high school. But it was nothing like the movies. Everyone was worried about how they looked or how they were perceived. We forgot how to just be human. Our masks even hid our emotions, and we all felt distant from each other.
At the same time, I was going through a bad breakup. The media I consumed kept telling me I needed makeup, straighter hair, or a different body to be wanted. I started spiraling, thinking about how I could change myself to fit the beauty standard. I felt extremely insecure and hated my body.
Growing up, I rarely saw Latinas represented positively. We were described as too loud, too hairy, too much. I wanted to fit in so badly that I began changing myself to match what I thought people wanted.
I also had severe social anxiety. I constantly wondered what people thought about me—what they were saying behind my back or whether I was enough. I was always questioning myself.
The WOW Experience
I remember my first WOW session clearly because my childhood best friend was there with me, which helped ease my anxiety. Our counselor read statements aloud and asked us to stand if we related to them. At first, the statements felt simple. But then she said: “I don’t feel confident in myself or my body.”
Everyone stood up.
There was silence for a moment—and then we all laughed. Not because it was funny, but because we finally realized we weren’t alone.
Growing up, I had strong women role models, especially my mom. She taught me to speak my mind, be kind, and be strong. But I misunderstood strength. I never saw her show sadness, so I thought being a woman meant hiding negative emotions.
WOW changed that for me. I learned that womanhood means feeling everything—sadness, anger, happiness, love. I started expressing myself first through journaling, then eventually out loud. For the first time, I felt heard.
One session I’ll never forget was called Barbie Beauty Standards. We wrote insecurities and beauty expectations onto a Barbie poster. I was terrified to be honest, but I wrote everything I disliked about myself—my curly hair, my body, my height, almost everything.
When our counselor read the responses aloud, something shifted. Traits someone hated about themselves were things someone else found beautiful. I realized our differences were not flaws—they were what made us unique. We only have one body, and it deserves love.
WOW also helped me understand healthy relationships. I realized I had spent so much time changing myself to please others—staying quiet, following people’s expectations, even ignoring my own needs or safety. As I grew more confident, I began changing my style and expressing myself more, but some people wanted me to stay the old version of me.
That’s when I realized those relationships weren’t healthy—and I chose to walk away.
Who I Am Now
Today, I carry WOW with me every day.
I remind myself that I am unique and that I’ve become the version of myself I always dreamed of being. I compliment people more. I express myself freely—through my voice, my style, and how I show up in the world.
I’ve learned that embarrassment is small compared to living fully. I know my emotions are valid, and I understand that the right people—your soulmate, your real community—will treat you with the respect you deserve.
Whenever I start doubting myself, I go back and read my old journals. They remind me how far I’ve come.
If a young woman were about to walk into her first WOW session feeling like I once did, I would tell her: “It only gets better from here.“
About Becoming Us
Becoming Us is a storytelling project by Youth Guidance that honors the voices of our alumni—those who have walked through our programs and emerged with hard-won lessons, growth, and resilience. Inspired by Humans of New York, each story celebrates the power of support, self-awareness, and community.
This project was co-created by Stacay Woods, a former marketing and communications intern with Youth Guidance’s Project Prepare Blue.
“BAM gave us permission to pour our hearts out and hold each
other up. I started showing empathy toward others, and
toward myself. That was new.”
— Daniel Methene
This post is part of Becoming Us, a storytelling series from Youth Guidance that honors the voices of our alumni. Through their own words, we explore what it means to grow, to heal, and to become.
Before he found the words to name his pain Daniel Methene carried everything inside. Growing up on Chicago’s South Side, he learned early how violence, loss, and addiction could harden you before you ever had a chance to be soft. In this Becoming Us story, Daniel reflects on how BAM helped him open up, build brotherhood, and believe in a future beyond survival—and how those same lessons now guide him as a father and a Becoming A Man (BAM) counselor, walking alongside young men who were once like him.
Carrying It All Inside
“Before BAM, I didn’t talk much. I was quiet, angry, and didn’t know how to express what I was feeling. I grew up on the East Side of Chicago in South Shore, raised mostly by my grandmother. My dad was around, but he worked a lot—so it was me, my granny, and my sister. I saw a lot growing up. Violence. Friends getting killed. Family members battling addiction. My uncles overdosing. I remember ambulances coming, Narcan being administered, my grandmother praying over them. That stuff numbed me early. I carried it all inside.
When I first joined BAM in 2013, I was a freshman at Julian High School. At first, I thought it was just a way to get out of class. We’d heard there was good food and field trips. That’s what got my attention. But once I got into the sessions and saw how real our counselors were with us, especially Derek and later Troy, I started realizing this was something different.”
Daniel Methene (right) at one his favorite occasions: a graduation ceremony.
“BAM taught me how to check in with myself. At first, my check-ins were surface level: ‘I’m good,’ ‘I’m fine.’ But over time, as I started to feel safe in the space, I opened up more. We built a brotherhood in our group. It didn’t matter where you came from—we all had something we were going through. BAM gave us permission to pour our hearts out and hold each other up. I started showing empathy toward others, and toward myself. That was new.
I’ll never forget one session where I talked about watching my uncles struggle with addiction—seeing them almost die. When I started to share, I broke down. Before I could even finish, the whole group came around me and hugged me. These were other young men, my peers, showing me love, passing me tissues, telling me I was not alone. That moment changed me. It was the first time I felt like I could be vulnerable and not be judged.”
Expanding Horizons
“BAM also gave me something I hadn’t experienced before: the chance to leave my neighborhood. My first time leaving the city was on a BAM college tour in 2017. It opened my eyes. Different accents, different food, different ways of life—it showed me there was more out there. That I could have more, too. Just being in a place where I felt safe… that alone was powerful. Even going downtown or to a Bulls game was a big deal back then. BAM made that possible.
The values I learned in BAM are still with me. Back then, the two that stuck with me most were accountability and self-determination. I used to give up on myself a lot. But BAM made me believe I could be something, do something. Today, as a father to twin daughters, Respect for Womanhood is the one I hold closest. Watching my partner give birth changed me. I want to raise my girls in a world where men show up with empathy and respect.
Now, I’m a BAM counselor. I’ve been doing this work for three years. What inspired me? Giving back. Helping young people the way I was helped. When I meet a student who’s walking into BAM for the first time, I tell him: “It’s OK to be scared. It’s OK not to know. But if you open your heart, if you let yourself grow here, you won’t regret it. I’ll be with you every step of the way.”
That’s what BAM did for me. It helped me feel, speak, and believe in myself again. And now, I get to help others do the same.”
Daniel Methene (left) with BAM students at a Chicago Bulls game.
About Becoming Us
Becoming Us is a storytelling project by Youth Guidance that honors the voices of our alumni—those who have walked through our programs and emerged with hard-won lessons, growth, and resilience. Inspired by Humans of New York, each story celebrates the power of support, self-awareness, and community.
This project was co-created by Stacay Woods, a former marketing and communications intern with Youth Guidance’s Project Prepare Blue.
“I used to think I was just surviving, just trying to make it through. But now I know that everything I went through, all the storms, were shaping me into someone stronger.”
— Stacay Woods
This post is the first in Becoming Us, a new storytelling series from Youth Guidance that honors the voices of our alumni. Through their own words, we explore what it means to grow, to heal, and to become.
Stacay Woods, a 22-year-old alumna of Youth Guidance’s Working on Womanhood (WOW) program, has spent much of her life in transition—from foster homes to family reunifications and from deep grief to self-discovery. Raised amidst uncertainty, she grappled with self-doubt, loneliness, and the heavy burden of losing her mother at a young age. In the WOW program, she found a community that helped her confront her past, embrace her emotions, and build resilience for the future.
Today, Stacay reflects on her journey not as one marked by setbacks, but as a path that taught her independence, acceptance, and the courage to be her most authentic self. Here, in her own words, she shares the transformative impact of WOW, the lessons in healing and self-awareness she carries forward, and her commitment to helping others facing similar storms.
Finding Home Amid Displacement
“I’d been in foster care since I was eight. I moved from one home to another, four or five places, until I got back with my aunt. That wasn’t the best situation either… I was sleeping on an ottoman, something as big as your desk. But I think I was the most resilient then, sticking it out, seeing my mom on weekends, moving between different parts of the city. I never really felt smart enough, never felt like I belonged. There was bullying, but more than that, it was this fear I carried from middle school to high school.”
“I didn’t feel heard or understood. I wish my family had taken my feelings seriously. I wished they weren’t so selfish, so that I wouldn’t have to figure everything out alone.”
“I joined WOW my freshman year, and that’s when things started to change. I learned how to accept myself and the things I couldn’t control. I learned how to handle emotions—especially anger. For the first time, I felt like someone was listening. They taught me to just… be real, to say the uncomfortable things out loud. I remember talking to my group about this girl I was always jealous of—not for her looks, but because she had this family connection I didn’t. She seemed like her life ran smooth because of it. And for the first time, I could process those feelings.”
“Grief… grief was the biggest thing I had to learn. I lost my mom when I was 16, and it was like everything blew up. At first, I didn’t even believe she was gone. I’d tell myself she was in the next room, like maybe I’d see her again. WOW helped me see that I was doing the best I could for her, even if I wasn’t perfect. That saved me from so much guilt.”
Strength Forged in the Storm
“Now, I feel more self-aware. Less angry. I know who I am, and I’m learning not to let my past define me. WOW taught me that independence is my word. Being stable on my own, that’s my goal now. But I also learned that you need people around you sometimes, to help ground you when things get tough. Someone once told me, ‘Tell yourself a different story.’ So I do, every day.”
“Self-doubt? That’s just the beginning. If you feel it, don’t let it be your final thought. And family? If they’re not supporting your growth, maybe it’s best not to share your dreams with them. That’s a hard truth, but I learned that I have options. As long as I’m breathing, I can do anything.”
“Now, I’m grateful for the storm. It made me stronger, and now I get to be here for others going through it, too.”
Reflecting on everything she’s overcome, Stacay’s voice is calm, yet resolute.
“I used to think I was just surviving, just trying to make it through. But now I know that everything I went through, all the storms, were shaping me into someone stronger. Today, I want to be the person I needed when I was younger—the one who listens, who believes in you, who reminds you that you’re not alone.” She pauses, her face breaking into a gentle smile. “I’ve learned that healing isn’t about forgetting the pain. It’s about building something new from it—something resilient, something powerful. That’s what I carry forward, and that’s what I want to share with others.”
About Becoming Us
Becoming Us is a storytelling project by Youth Guidance that honors the voices of our alumni—those who have walked through our programs and emerged with hard-won lessons, growth, and resilience. Inspired by Humans of New York, each story celebrates the power of support, self-awareness, and community.
This project was co-created by Stacay Woods, a former marketing and communications intern with Youth Guidance’s Project Prepare Blue.
In the heart of Chicago, Kaitlyn Palmer is redefining how youth from strategically undervalued communities discover their potential.
A curriculum development leader at Youth Guidance, Kaitlyn’s work is grounded in empowering young people to find their voices, hone their skills, and imagine futures beyond their immediate circumstances. Her approach is rooted in equity, creativity, and a profound belief in the transformative power of education and storytelling.
“It’s about centering youth voices,” Kaitlyn explains. “I see it as a disservice if we don’t include them in the process. They need to see themselves reflected in what they’re learning. It’s a non-negotiable for me.”
Kaitlyn’s journey to this work wasn’t linear. Originally from Memphis, she moved to Chicago in 2012, searching for a “real job,” as she puts it. She started in social services, working in diverse environments, including residential treatment centers and juvenile detention facilities.
“Curriculum has the power to inspire, impact, and revolutionize.”
— Kaitlyn Palmer, Senior Manager of Professional Learning and Curriculum Development
It was during her time as a juvenile detention officer that she realized the potential of curriculum to inspire change. By introducing programs like a literacy initiative for incarcerated girls, she saw how structured, meaningful activities could transform an environment of despair into one of hope and anticipation.
“I started Googling and trying things,” she recalls. “When the residents began looking forward to programming, I knew I was onto something. Curriculum has the power to inspire, impact, and revolutionize.”
This revelation set her on a path that led to Youth Guidance, where she first worked as a Career Pathways coach. Over time, her role evolved, allowing her to marry her passions for writing and youth development. Kaitlyn’s work is now integral to Youth Guidance’s mission of guiding children to brighter futures.
Curriculum’s Impact
Kaitlyn’s curricula blend social-emotional learning with post-secondary preparedness, an intersection that equips youth for both the challenges of life and the workforce.
Each program in Youth Guidance’s Career Readiness and Success (CRS) department is guided by a structured curriculum, ensuring consistency and intentionality in delivering outcomes. These curricula serve as blueprints that provide youth with actionable tools to navigate post-secondary opportunities while addressing the real-world challenges they face in underserved communities.
Using a framework called MHA Skill Blocks, the programs focus on essential skills such as personal mindset, collaboration, and verbal communication. These Skill Blocks are a set of core social, emotional, and cognitive competencies identified as critical for success in college, careers, and life, ensuring that youth are prepared to navigate real-world challenges with confidence and adaptability.
“We’re not separating life skills from workforce readiness,” Kaitlyn says. “The programming is holistic, culturally responsive, and designed to reflect the lived experiences of our students.”
Curriculum Covers: (left) “Blueprint to Becoming” by Youth Guidance alums Michelle Carlin (digital art) and Jesus Cortes (design); (right) “@Work and Beyond” by Roxy Martinez, former Youth Guidance employee
Youth As Co-Creators
Kaitlyn’s signature approach, “For Youth, By Youth,” places young people at the center of curriculum development. From focus groups to internships, youth are not just participants but co-creators. They contribute ideas, critique drafts, and even design artistic elements of the curricula.
“This model provides equity and validates their voices,” Kaitlyn says. “It teaches skills, offers exposure, and ensures their contributions are not only acknowledged but celebrated. When youth see their work published or their ideas come to life, it’s transformative.”
One example of how curricula have inspired innovative programming is Hussle Days, created by Becoming A Man (BAM) counselor Josh Hurley. Drawing from the “Blueprint to Becoming” curriculum—which includes an entrepreneurial component—Hurley designed the program to engage students in hands-on business development.
“When youth see their work published or their ideas come to life, it’s transformative.”
— Kaitlyn Palmer
Inspired by the late rapper, community activist, and entrepreneur Nipsey Hussle, interns split into two groups to develop their own shoe-cleaning businesses, designing logos and promotional flyers using Canva. They then pitched their businesses to each other, refining their communication and presentation skills in the process.
Following this, the students set up shop inside the building that houses Youth Guidance’s central office in downtown Chicago, offering shoe-cleaning services to local professionals. Through these real-world entrepreneurial activities, they not only earned income but also learned critical life and business skills, including pitching their services and interacting with the community.
The impact of Hussle Days was profound. Students were introduced to concepts such as “value creation” and “equity-building” through hands-on activities. They also developed soft skills like communication, time management, and collaboration, which are crucial for future success. The program emphasized the importance of creating a sustainable livelihood aligned with personal values—a principle drawn from Nipsey Hussle’s philosophy of self-empowerment and community building. In addition, students reflected on their experiences in group discussions, solidifying the lessons learned.
“It was a different type of hustle,” Kaitlyn explains. “It was deeply community-oriented and pushed against the grain of present-day gig culture. The students practiced skills they’ll carry for life.”
BAM Fellowship Initiative (BAM-FI) curriculum cover art by Youth Guidance alum Shaquan Avant
The Power of Visibility
The intentional design of the youth-informed curricula developed by CRS has yielded significant results. In recent surveys, 96 percent of program participants reported successfully meeting their goals, and 98 percent said they’d recommend the program to peers. Counselors also play a critical role, acting as guides and ambassadors of the curricula.
“If the counselors don’t feel a sense of fullness and alignment with the curriculum, it won’t translate to the youth,” Kaitlyn emphasizes. “Their investment is essential, and our training programs are designed to ensure they can embody and champion the work.”
This alignment between counselors and curriculum often leads to transformative moments for youth. For instance, a student in the BAM Fellowship Initiative (BAM-FI) program in Washington, D.C., created the cover art for a curriculum and received a printed copy to share with his peers and community.
“He was walking around with the biggest smile, holding the curriculum like a trophy,” Kaitlyn recalls, sharing a moment relayed to her by Dr. Christina Sessoms, BAM-FI College & Career Manager. “That’s the power of visibility. It changes how they see themselves and their place in the world.”
Youth Guidance marketing and communications intern Stacay Woods contributed to this article.
